Bridge scoring device



May 1, 1951 J. E. SMITH BRIDGE SCORING DEVICE Filed Oct. 14, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet l I lkvfliillillll ll PPONEN T5 May 1, 1951 J. E. SMITH BRIDGE SCORING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 14, 1949 INVENTOR. JA Y 5. .SM/ 77-),

M "A M ORA/E x5 Patented May I, 1951 UNITED STATES earEN'r orrice 7 Claims.

This invention relates to scoring devices, and particularly to devices for holding sheets for scoring bridge games.

It is a general object of the present invention to provide a novel and improved scoring sheet holding device.

More particularly it is an object of the invention to provide a scoring sheet holding device for bridge tournaments or duplicate bridge games in which the individual players score is kept on a band of paper wholly enclosed except for a single line for marking, whereby the score from previous games is kept from opponents.

One of the important objects of the invention consists in the provision of a hollow body having flat upper and lower faces, one of which acts as a table for writing, adapted to receive thereover a band for scoring, the body having a roller at one of its ends spring extended to tighten the band and the whole being enclosed in a two part case exposing a single line on the scoring band and having means for advancing the band line by line.

Another important feature of the invention resides in the arrangement and construction of the device for holding the scoring band which includes a foundation or core member, a hollow body housing the same and forming a table surface over which a scoring band is passed, the body being fitted with a roller on at least one end for guiding the paper band, such roller being urged away from the body, to tighten the band, by springs mounted on the foundation unit and the whole being enclosed in a pair of cup-like cover parts which expose a single line of the scoring band, over the marking table, as well as one end of one of the rollers for movement of the band to advance the scoring positions thereon.

Other and further objects of the invention, in-

eluding constructional features and operational characteristics, will be more apparent. to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the accompanying drawings and following specification wherein are disclosed two exemplary embodiments of the invention, with the understanding that such changes and modifications may be made therein as fall within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In said drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front or face view of the preferred form of the bridge scoring device with parts broken away to show internal construction features;

Fig. 2 is a right end elevation of the same;

Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse section taken on line 33 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a vertical transverse central section taken on line 44 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the scoring device with the two part cover removed and devoid of a score sheet loop;

Fig. 6 is a perspective View of the foundation unit or core portion of the device showing the bearing loops for the rollers and the springs for extending them; and

Fig. 7 is a plan view of a modified form of the foundation unit shown on a small scale.

In bridge tournaments, where the individual desires to keep his own score in addition to the official score, and in playing duplicate bridge, it is desirable that the past scores on an individuals score sheet be not exposed to the opponents. In accordance with the present invention a convenient device is provided which holds a score sheet in the form of a 1001 or band suitably marked for scoring and providing other information desired by the individual player. Such device is conveniently arranged within a smooth case of the general shape and outline of a cigarette case. It is arranged to expose only a single line of the score sheet and has means available, without opening the same, for advancingthe score sheet. Within the interior it provides carrying space for two spare pencils.

Referring now to the drawing, and particularly to Figs. 1 and 4, the invention will be seen to comprise means for supporting and enclosing a scoring band or loop l9 consisting of a continuous strip of paper having horizontal lines defining spaces thereon for the desired number of games, for instance thirty-two, to make it convenient for duplicate bridge, and having sufiicient vertical columnsto permit the player to enter such information as may be required, and as shown on the face of the casing of the device in Fig. 1. Such markings also appear on the score sheet to designate the columns after it is removed. In order to support and keep this band tight and positioned for marking, it passes closely over the outside of a hollow body ll, seen in the center of Fig. 5, consisting of upper and lower shallow rectangular shells l2 and I3 meeting on a median plane. Each shell has a substan tially flat rectangular area and turned down edges, those indicated at Hi and I5 being semicylindrical whereas the remaining two are Substantially fiat. The flat edges are centrally perfora-ted as at it by an elliptical opening of considerable size.

The hollow body I i encases the foundation unit ll, best seen in Fig. 6. It is composed of two substantially rectangular metal sheets, aluminum being preferred because of its lightness, l8 and i9, having slightly rounded corners and central cutouts 28, in two opposite edges. These sheets are held together face to face by fastening elements 26, comprising a shank and two heads spaced about the thickness of the two sheets. The heads readily pass through the large openings 22 of keyholes in the sheets and are slid to the position shown for the locking operation. Each of the heads is circumferentially grooved as shown at 23 for a purpose to be later described. Transversely, each plate is outwardly troughed at 25, 28, between the cutouts fill to together provide the transverse tunnels 21, 28. These are of such size as to each hold a scoring pencil which can be pressed into them through one of the openings iii in the ends of the hollow body which surrounds the foundation unit. The plates being held together only remotely from these tunnels provide a springiness which holds the pencils against rattling.

Each of the plates is also bent, as shown at 30, to provide between them two pairs of parallel channels. Each channel is near one of the longitudinal edges of the plates and slidably accommodates the double thickness ends of straps 31.

Where these channels terminate short of the center of the plates, openings 32 are cut and the strap end portions are bent apart as shown to extend through these openings, each end having a portion 33 normal to the face of the foundation plates and a portion 3a parallel thereto but spaced slightly from the surface thereof. Hooked beneath these ends in pairs are the springs 35, having shallow bights 3G to be received in the channels 23 in the fastening elements and having their ends hooked beneath the portions 3d of the slidably mounted straps. The springs are so tensioned as to tend to push these straps to their outward limit, fixed by engagement of the portions 33 with the inner ends of the channels, and also to maintain the fastening elements in position.

Each pair of straps, at one end of the sheets are formed into coaxial loops 38 which act as supports and pivots for a roller 39, seen in Fig. 5. Such a roller may be conveniently formed of metal or plastic and is grooved as seen at 40 so that strap loops lie beneath the cylindrical surface of the roller which is free to rotate therein.

In assembling the device the rollers are first positioned in the loops, which are then fully closed. The two plates of the foundation unit are positioned over the strap ends so that the defiected portions extend through the plate openings 32 and finally the fastening elements and springs are snapped into position. Two springs operate on each roller, one on each side of the foundation unit, as clearly seen in Figs. 3 and 4.

After the foundation unit is assembled with the rollers, the two parts of the hollow body H are assembled thereon. The arcuate edges of the two parts are suitably notched to provide free clearance for the doubled loop straps 3!. Each of the heads 2i of the fastening means, for holding the two parts of the foundation unit together, is provided with a projecting stud 42, which is received in a corresponding aperture in the appropriate shell of the body and subsequently riveted over to permanently combine the complete unit, seen in the center of Fig. 5.

This unit provides fiat surfaces on opposite faces and end rollers for engaging and tightening the band on which the score is to be marked. This band is of such a length that when the rollers are grasped and pressed into engagement with the body H it can be readily slipped into position. Then on release of the rollers the springs press them away from the body to tightly stretch the scoring band and hold it smooth on its marking surface o table.

To protect and hide the scoring band the above described unit is removably encased in a shell or cover formed in two parts, substantially identical, and each of deep cup-like form, as shown in Fig. 5. Each of these, 44, 45 is sized to cover half of the assembly of the body, foundation unit and band and to encase one of the rollers. They are arranged to abut centrally and transversely of the body, except for the cutout areas 46 in both, these two areas mating to form the opening 41 seen in Fig. 1, exposing slightly more than one horizontal line on the scoring band for convenience in marking thereon. The upper cover part 45 has marked thereon in parallel diagonal lines, appropriately positioned, the designations for the various columns on the scoring band.

In order to hold the cover parts in position, since they cannot fit tightly against any of the enclosures except the fiat ends of the body, each is provided with at least one spring 48, seen in Fig. 1, arranged on an inner edge wall and having an angled catch portion adapted to be received in one of the openings IS in the body end wall. Preferably two catches are provided on each cover portion to secure it in position. The upper right hand corner of the upper portion 45 of the cover is cut away, as seen at 50, to expose one end of the upper roller 39. Preferably this has the outer end knurled as at 5| for convenience in rotating it, by grasping it between the fingers, to advance the scoring band to the next or any desired line.

The covers are preferably made of molded plastic for the sake of lightness and appearance. The whole unit is not much larger than a conventional cigarette case and is shaped much the same. It can be readily opened by pulling the covers apart for insertion of a new scoring band. Such bands may readily be made by gluing together the ends of score pad sheets.

Fig. '7 shows a slight modification of the device. In this form the foundation unit provides for the mounting of but a single roller whose sliding mounting straps may have a greater range of movement. When this is assembled with the body shell the paper band is adapted to move over the roller at the upper end and merely slide over the rounded end of the body at the other. The greater movement of the roller provides adequate clearance for installing the band.

I claim:

1. In a bridge scoring device, in combination, a thin hollow body adapted to be encircled by a score band and having a flat table area to support a working section thereof, a roller at each of opposite ends of said body to guide and tension said band, straps fitting grooves in each roller to form bearings therefor, said straps entering said body, spring means in the body to extend the straps to tighten the band on the rollers, 21,- two part cover for said body, band and rollers, said cover having a cut-out over said table area to expose the band and a corner cut away to expose one end of one roller for manipulation to change the portion of the band exposed in said cut-out.

2. The device of claim 1 in which the said cover comprises similar cup-like parts telescoped over the body and its appurtenances, and a spring latch on each cover part adapted to engage in a recess in an end wall of the body not occupied by a roller.

3. A bridge scoring device including in combination with a closed band of paper marked to receive scores, a foundation unit, a hollow body encasing said foundation unit and adapted to fit within said band and providing a flat table area for supporting the band for marking, rollers guided and supported by said foundation unit and arranged at opposite ends of the body to guide said paper band, spring means carried by said foundation unit to force the rollers outwardly from the body to tension the paper band, a cover for said body and band comprising two cup-like members arranged to loosely fit over the body and rollers and having a cut-out to expose a limited area of said band above said table for marking and means exposed through said cover for band position adjustment.

4. The scoring device of claim 3 in which each cover cup encloses a roller end of the body, at least one spring catch on each cover cup and an opening in an end wall of the body normal to the rollers to receive said catches to hold the cover in position.

5. A bridge scoring device including in combination a foundation unit composed of overlying metal sheets, said sheets being formed to provide between them transverse pencil receiving tunnels and longitudinally disposed guides, roller mounting straps each having an eye and a portion slidable in one of said guides, a roller having grooves to receive said eyes mounted in a pair of straps and extending across one end of said unit, a spring urging said straps outwardly, a body enclosing said foundation unit and comprising two shallow rectangular cup-like members having edges meeting in the median plane of the unit, notches in said cups to pass said roller mounting straps whereby the roller lies along one outer edge of the body to guide and tighten a scoring loop passed around the body and roller, a pair of deep cup-like cover members adapted to encase the body, roller and loop, and having cutouts to provide access to a limited area of said loop, means on each cover member to engage said body to hold the covers in position, one of the corners of one of said cover members being cut away to expose one end of said roller for adjustment of the loop in respect to the cutouts.

6. A holder for a bridge scoring sheet in the form of an endless band comprising in combination a sheet of material formed to provide a table surface, a roller parallel to one edge of said surface tangent to the plane thereof, movable bearing means intermediate the ends of said roller for rotatably mounting said roller from said sheet, means urging said roller from the sheet edge whereby to tighten a loop passed over the sheet and roller, a case enclosing the sheet, roller and loop and having an opening over the said surface to expose a desired area of the band to re ceive markings and indicia on the surface of the case at said opening to designate columns on said loop.

7. The holder as defined in claim 6 in which the roller is spring pressed away from the sheet so that it can be retracted to renew the band and in which means is exposed through the case for engagement to advance the band beneath said opening.

JAY EARL SMITH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,303,731 Sanford May 13, 1919 1,551,930 Buchheim Sept. 1, 1925 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 283,083 Great Britain Jan. 5, 1928 

